For Newcastle, Benitez is certainly the big name they will have wanted, but this certainly represents one of the biggest challenges of the Spaniard’s career so far after mainly taking charge of title contenders or top four-chasing clubs such as Liverpool, Chelsea and Real Madrid.

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While the challenges are always endless for a manager looking to rescue a side from the threat of relegation, here are the four biggest tasks on Benitez’s to-do list as he prepares for the Magpies job:

1) Sort out the away form

While their home form has hardly been outstanding, Newcastle can at least rely on the home crowd to inspire the team to victory often enough that they may just survive. They’ve already beaten Liverpool, West Ham and Norwich City at home this season

Newcastle celebrate a rare away win at Tottenham in December (Picture: Getty Images)

Away from home, however, Newcastle have huge problems. The club have lost all but three of their league games on the road this term, and there are some big six-pointers coming up for them away from St James’ Park.

In their final nine games, the Toon travel to fellow strugglers Norwich and Aston Villa, and they must also take advantage of a trip to a Southampton side with little to play for as a mid-table finish looks guaranteed.

2) Find a goalscorer

A quick glance at Newcastle’s top scorers so far this season shows there’s clear trouble for the team in that area, especially given some of the big names and expensive signings on the books.

Newcastle top scorers

That’s right, their top scorer is a midfielder, whose stats have been heavily distorted by a hat-trick in that 6-2 win over Norwich. Elsewhere, three very capable strikers have just 13 goals between them.

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Seydou Doumbia arrived on loan in January, so it will be up to Benitez to ensure at least one of these strikers starts playing like one before it’s too late.

3) Fix the defence

An obvious one for a relegation candidate, but Newcastle’s defence is currently one of the worst in the top flight, with 53 goals conceded so far.

The good news for their fans, however, is that Benitez has earned a reputation for being something of a defensive specialist throughout his career.

In 2005/06, his Liverpool side had the second best defensive record in the division, behind only champions Chelsea.

He achieved this again the following season and in 2008/09, while his Reds side also did well to shut out some big names in the Champions League.

This will, of course, be a whole new challenge altogether, but building from the back could be a wise move by Benitez.

4) Improve morale

Finally, Benitez faces a big challenge here to improve the mood around St James’ Park, both in the dressing room and in the stands.

Newcastle has not been the happiest of clubs in the Mike Ashley era, and many managers have tried and failed to put together a confident side that can play the kind of football to get supporters on their feet.

Unfortunately, this is one big area of weakness for the 55-year-old, who was hugely unpopular in his previous post at Real Madrid, and who divided opinion hugely even in his fairly successful stint in charge of Liverpool.

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Perhaps Benitez can at least instil more discipline in a side that has clearly lost its way under the notoriously authoritative Steve McClaren, which would go some way to fixing the problem.